All The Wrong Things
by Black-mustang3
Summary: Taking place just after the movie ended, Jack is alive, and now there is this strong willed Blond fire ball that enters their life. AJ is strongwilled, and she doesn't let any one close...will one of the brothers make it through her shell? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

It has been too much for her to take, having lost a wonderful woman like Evelyn, and then loosing her father as well. Pretty blond and blue eyed AJ Paul was just your typical girl that had moved to the city and in the end had began to work for Evelyn because she needed the work. AJ had moved to Detroit not to make it big time but to have some sort of a different life. Something else for herself. She worked in the daycare center and cleaned houses for a living. This wasn't exactly what she had thought would be happening for her when she moved away from Alabama.

Shoving her hands deep within her pockets and tossing her head to rid her eyes of the light blond hair that fell over icy orbs she walked down the street. She had left a fair amount of her things in Evelyn Mercers house, actually she'd left it there simply because she had been living there, now that she had cleared out most of her stuff from her room and moved into an apartment it was time to gather the last of he things. And return the key to Evelyn's sons. Her light blue jeans clung to lean, muscular legs and a large green pea coat covered a dark purple turtleneck and her feet were tipped in scuffed brown boots.

It had been months since Evelyn had passed, and AJ just didn't have it in herself to go back to that house. She had loved that woman, and even though she had never met her sons before, she felt as if she knew them. So as she walked to down the street that the darling woman had lived down she got quite a shock when she found that her house wasn't exactly as it had once been.

"What the fuck?" She breathed as she took a few steps forward and stared wide eyed at the house that was in the middle of being repaired.

Eye's so horribly light they looked like the girl could be blind peered at the house, and for several heartbeats she didn't move...not a muscle.

"Can we help you?" A deep voice asked softly and AJ finally looked to the owner of that voice.

Bobby. She swallowed hard and nodded slowly, but she couldn't seem to find her voice, "Wh--What happened?" She asked her voice soft and being swept away with the wind. She caught sight of a man who looked like one of the pictures that she had seen, Jerry. The fact was she had never actually met Jerry face to face, she'd always been bust with other things...

Angel was off to the side with a woman she didn't know. And then there was the youngest, Jack, and he sported a pair of crutches and leaned heavily against one of the rails.

Bobby snorted and looked up at the house, "Just doing a bit of re-modeling..." He stated simply and then looked at her as if he expected something. AJ stared unblinkingly at him and sighed.

"Oh," She said softly, "God, you don't know me, but well...I used to live here---" She didn't have much of a chance to finish her statement before Bobby cut her off with a rude noise.

"Impossible." He snapped and AJ turned her eyes from the house to look at him with a steely gaze.

"Evelyn was right, you have a sharp tongue." She snapped back and arched both her brows at the look he gave her, "I worked for Miss Mercer." She said softly, "And she gave me a place to stay." AJ made a vague gesture with her hand at the house, "I don't suppose you wondered what that spare room was for, and whose things that was?" She asked, "Or did you toss them out?"

Bobby opened his mouth to say something but Jerry came padding down the steps, "AJ? AJ Paul?" He asked and stuck out his hand, "Mom talked about you I just never had the pleasure." He said and AJ grasped onto his hand firmly. It was plain on her face that she was a strong woman, strong willed and with a sharp tongue.

Bobby looked at her a moment and then over to Jack as he pushed himself off the railing. "Hey fairy? You alright?" He asked and Jack gave him a look that told him to fuck off. He hobbled his way up the steps and into the house, where the rest of the group (Jerry's wife, Angel, and Sofi) had gone off to. He disappeared.

"Yes, I'm AJ." She said her voice firm and her breath coming off in a puff of air. Jerry watched her a moment and nodded.

"C'mon in." He said and made a gesture for her to follow him into the house, with a look at Bobby he led AJ inside.

The warmth tickled AJ's cheeks and she brushed back a wave of blond hair from her face with a gloved hand. "I just came to get my things, I have an apartment lined up..." She said softly and glanced at the TV that was on in the kitchen.

Angel sat with Sofi on his knee and she was feeding him a tuna sandwich, Jerry's wife was speaking quietly to them and Jack was at the counter, trying to fumble with the jar of mayo. AJ had to wonder what had happened, he looked fairly beat up...not his face but just his body.

Without a thought to her name she moved over and twisted the lid off the jar and handed it to him, her light eyes meeting his for a moment. He gave her an indifferent look and scooped up a butter knife to slap mayo over a piece of bread.

AJ turned her back on him and looked at the little group, "So AJ, How long did you know mom?" Jerry asked and this caused Jack to look up for a moment at her, for she was leaned against the counter beside him. AJ's eyes lowered, and she bit her lower lip before looking at Jerry.

"About a year." She answered finally and shifted her eyes to the TV screen. On a break through in the news a local apartment building was aflame, and firefighters had no hope of saving it. AJ lurched forward and her eyes went huge. "Fuck no!" She gasped and turned the volume up a few clicks. Her eyes were both angry and hurt, "No..." As it turned out, it was her apartment, and from what she saw, hers was already gone...great...

Jerry looked at her then to the TV and Angel leaned forward, placing a hand around Sofi's waist, "What?" He asked and then looked to AJ.

The blond woman, only hitting at about 5'5 and maybe weighing in at a hundred and twenty pounds looked as if she were going to throw up. She covered her mouth and gave a small grunt of frustration. That was just what she needed...

It was then that Bobby had chosen to walk in and just as AJ had mumbled something along the lines of 'now where do I go?' He looked at her then at the TV and gave a Tsk sound in the back of his throat. "I have a feeling..." He mumbled, "Thats your apartment building." He looked at her and the expression on her face confirmed it.

"Stay here." Jack spoke up from where he was standing and all eyes went to him.


	2. Look at it this way

**A/N: Wow, thank you for your sweet reviews! I actually am feeling a bit rusty on my writing...LOL it's been a while since I was on here...I hope I'm putting everyone in there right character frames...**

Bobby was the first to speak, and he did so with a rough and almost surprised voice, "No fucking way! NO!" He nearly shouted and gave AJ a death glare, "No. We are not housing another slut in this house." His eyes were sharp as he glared at her, half way thinking that she had already asked to stay.

AJ's face filled with anger, and her pale blue eyes of hers flashed dangerously, "Watch it stud or your going to feel what it's like to have your own dick fuck you from behind." She snapped with a venom that made Angel begin to laugh. AJ ignored this and Bobby's next harsh words as she turned to look at Jack, "Thank you." She mumbled, "But I don't think that I'm welcome."

Jack looked at her through gray eyes and tilted his head downward, his hair falling just over those quiet eyes of his. He opened his mouth to speak when Sofi did for him.

"I say you should stay sweetheart." Thus causing a shout from Bobby telling her to shut her slutty mouth and this caused an argument at which Angel got involved in telling Bobby to back the fuck off from his girl. Jerry watched all of this in silence and his wife only shook her head sadly. AJ turned to look at the TV, she sighed heavily, half her stuff was there, sure, she had a quite a bit of her stuff still stuffed in that room, that is, if it hadn't been tossed by one of the men in the house.

"Bobby won't throw you out..." Jack said from his perch by the counter, "He let Sofi stay, and he knows how she is. Besides, if mom let you live here...then..."

Bobby looked from where he was and laughed, "Aw, Fairy got a crush?" He snapped and finally sighed, "Stay, I don't give a shit! But you WILL work around here...your not getting off so easy you hear me?" He growled at AJ who shot him a look that told him to shut his face before she made him.

"I understand." She muttered her voice soft, but holding a hint of fire to it. She should be grateful. Honestly, she was rather glad, she hadn't known where she was going to go...

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It was two days since she had moved back into the house, and really she'd hardly spoken two words to anyone but Bobby, and when she had, it was in an argument, he was such an asshole that she just wanted to shoot him with one of his own guns. She was half way tempted, to just throw a bowel at him, see if it did any serious damage to his ugly fat head!

AJ kneeled down under the counter to rummage through the pots when she felt eyes upon her, and she was instantly protective of herself, for her ass had been sticking straight up in the air. She stood stiffly and turned to catch sight of Sofi standing there and she sighed, "oh, it's just you." She said softly and smiled, "Where is Angel?"

"That is what I was wondering?" The dark haired beauty asked, "Have you seen him?" She asked and then paused as Jack limped into the kitchen, "He went out...with Bobby...I think they are in the yard." He mumbled and Sofi nodded turning to leave. Thus AJ was alone in the kitchen with Jack as he watched her work.

"You know what you should do." AJ said softly, "You should help me by getting out a head of lettuce." She said and glanced over her shoulder at him and he merely stared at her for a moment before leaning his crutches against the wall and stooping down to the refrigerator.

"Catch." He mumbled and AJ snatched the vegetable from mid-air and plopped it down on the counter top. Without hesitation she slammed the knife into the top of it and cut it in two.

"So Jack, you're awfully quiet." She mumbled and looked at him briefly. He seemed to have already given her the once over and so her pale eyes swept over his body and she didn't make a move to hide it. His gray eyes watched her and he tilted his head to the side with a small smile playing at his mouth.

"You certainly don't hide much do you?" He asked softly and moved to her side to help her as he reached for a cutting knife to slice a few red peppers.

AJ didn't turn her head to him fully but kept her attention on the task at hand, "I have learned not to." She said equally as softly as he had and she glanced at him from the corner of her gaze. "Now tell me, why are you lamed up?" She wondered, in fact she had since she had first seen him.

"Got shot a few times." He answered almost simply, like it happened all the time.

AJ watched him for a long moment and then lowered her eyes, suddenly having a new respect for him, "Oh." She said softly, and then look up, changing the subject a little, "I loved your mother." She said, "I don't want you to think that I'm trying to move in here and----"

"I know." He said firmly and set the knife down to look at her. "I know."

AJ nodded and went back to her work, did he really? Could he possibly know how much his mother had meant to her? She supposed that all in due time...things would be revealed that would change everything.


	3. A past unknown

**A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, I know I'm a tad rusty on my writing, but I hope I'm getting back in the groove!**

She jerked in her bed, and her brows knitted as if in some horrible dream. And truth be told, AJ was locked in some sort of a horrible nightmare, her whole body was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat. She twisted and jerked like she was on fire, her face controlled in a phantom pain. Blond hair was plastered to her face; she tossed her head and arched her back as she mumbled something under her breath as she slept. Silent tears fell down her cheeks and she shook with a tremor that passed over her body. The words she mumbled were as if she were begging, begging for her life and begging for her sanity. She jerked in her sheets and let out a bloody curdling scream into the darkness of the house.

It was moments later when Bobby emerged in her room, followed closely by Angel, Sofi and Jack who was getting better and he hobbled without crutches now. Bobby gave a roll of his eyes and looked at Jack jerking his head at the squirming girl in bed, "Do something fairy." He snapped and headed out of the room, not giving a second glance.

Sofi started forward but Jack moved in front of her, his face stoic as he touched AJ's shoulder and shook her awake. There was a shudder and then AJ's pale eyes flicked open and tears ran down her cheeks, she sat straight up and tossed her arms around the neck of the nearest person, which was Jack.

The man grunted in pain at the contact and jerked slightly, looking over his shoulder he met eyes with Angel and gave him a look that said 'help'. His brother only held up two hands and shook his head. Awkwardly, Jack patted the girls back and sighed heavily, and it was Sofi who relived him of the blond bundle in his arms.

"Move it." She snapped and shoved Jack over and he stood slowly to watched as Sofi stroked the girls hair. "Shh." She muttered, "It's all going to be alright...it's all okay." She mumbled and made a wild gesture for the men to leave.

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Jack sat in his room when the blond entered, AJ looked slightly embarrassed and she shifted on her feet, "I wanted..." She began then cut herself off with a sigh, "I am sorry." She mumbled, "I uh..." She paused, "Bad dream."

Jack watched her for several moments, and had the intention of telling her it was fine and that it didn't matter but instead; "Bad dream about what?" He asked. AJ tilted her chin up at him, and her eyes held a glint. Over the past few weeks, he'd come to realize, that this little blond was as stubborn as a mule, and could be twice as mean as Bobby. She was fire. Hot to the touch.

She pressed her lips together into a thin line, and sighed, "Just...a bad dream." She answered, clearly lying to him. Jack rose a brow and reached over to his desk to pick up a cigarette which he placed lazily in his mouth.

"No one screams like that from just a bad dream." He told her, but let the subject drop. He watched AJ for several moments before picking up his guitar again and plucked at a string there. "Is your name really AJ? Or does it stand for something?" He asked off handedly and AJ blinked in surprise.

"Alice Julia." She answered softly.

Jack watched her for several more moments and then tilted his head down to look at his instrument and when he heard the soft scuff of shoes on the carpet he looked up to see that she was gone. His brows furrowed and he wondered what a girl like her had nightmares about...

AJ padded down the steps, and paused at the doorway to grab her jacket before she marched outside, she was half-way down the walk when she paused and took sight of Bobby as he pulled up in his car and climbed out. He stared at her and gave a taunting grin.

"Have a nightmare again?" He asked and laughed.

"Just shut up Robert." AJ barked and received a howling laugh from Bobby as he walked inside the house.

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It was nearly three hours before AJ finally came home, and she hadn't really gone anywhere, just walked around the city, stopped at Evelyn's grave and then went to grab a bite to eat. When she returned Jack was already in the kitchen and he was half way through cooking dinner. Bobby snapped at her as she passed through the living room to the kitchen where she rolled up her sleeves and began to stir the mashed potatoes on the stove.

Jack glanced over to her and offered a small smile, but other then that, he said nothing.

"I don't just spill to anyone that asks." AJ said suddenly, "So, please, don't take anything personal." She muttered and gave him a sideways glance. He seemed to be getting around a lot better and that was good. "I'm sure you wouldn't just spill to me if I asked how it was that you came to live with Evelyn?" She paused as she moved the potatoes off the heat and set them aside.

"No, I suppose not." He replied and then looked at her, "Mom must have really liked you though to let you stay with her." He added and stuck a salad fork into the bowel filled with vegetables.

AJ gave a small laugh at that, "She liked everyone...but yes...she was...protecting me." She told him, and that was about as much as she was willing to let him in on. At the moment that is. Jack turned his attention to her and noted how she avoided meeting his gaze and he frowned. Wondering what it was that she could have meant. He himself had it rough before he came to Evelyn. He knew what it was like to need to be safe, but looking at this woman before him, who couldn't be more then twenty at least, he had to wonder what a girl that looked so beautiful in anything she wore and no matter what time of day could be hiding from.

The fact was, he had noticed her pale complexion and light blond hair even before she had reached the house. She was like a fucking sore thumb, like a blast of damned sunshine on a gloomy day. And she was beautiful. Stunning, he wanted to take her to bed, as any sane man would have wanted. But what could she be needing protection from? That was the main question.

"Don't ask, because I won't tell you." She said softly, "Sorry." She added as she moved around to check on the roast in the oven.

Jack looked at his hands and sighed, "Don't worry, I wasn't." He said and got a look from her that was a mix of amusement and something that he couldn't pin.

"I think," She started, "That you are my favorite."


	4. Things That Go Bump

**A/N: Whoot, I finally worked out the kinks and now my document has loaded! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!...ahem...cough I'm good...**

It was days such as these that nothing huge really happened, days that everyone was aloud to feel lazy. As if nothing should be done and nothing was going to be done...Although AJ had positioned herself in the kitchen, she hadn't accomplished much. She'd been there since the early hours of the morning and had only made a cake and two pies. Not much considering she was a fast worker in the kitchen. When her caramel began to bubble up she jerked to the stove and began to stir it, but her mind was elsewhere so she whipped it for about five minutes before she realized.

Stopping, AJ turned the heat to low; Sofi had somehow convinced Angel that he needed to spend the entire day with her, and so they hadn't been home. Bobby, well AJ didn't know and she personally didn't care where he was, as long as he was out of her hair and not teasing her about this and that. And AJ wasn't sure where Jack was either, she honestly didn't care, but still, it nagged her to wonder where he was. His whereabouts became clear as he stepped into the kitchen, his limp was still there, but he was moving around the house much better.

"What are you making?" He asked softly as he leaned over her shoulder to look into the pot, AJ stiffened and gave him a brief look before she slinked away from him and took the caramel from the burner, turning the heat off as well.

"Kettle Corn." She answered and reached for the cookie sheet that held the snowy white popcorn, she began to drizzle the golden sugar on it.

The fact that she had stiffened when Jack had come near didn't go unnoticed and he watched her with a sharp eye for a moment before he reached over and plucked a bit of the popcorn off the sheet. AJ met his gaze and noted the puzzlement there and she wished that she could tell him that it wasn't him, but then, why did she even care? AJ couldn't place that either.

"Why arn't you out with the boys?" She paused and grinned, "Or at least Bobby?" She asked as she turned away and began to flip the caramel into the corn evenly.

Jack shrugged his broad shoulders and didn't say anything, just watched her, watched as the muscles worked under her tank top, and how those jeans that she wore hugged her hips like a second skin. Bobby may always call him a fairy, but he knew a good ass when he saw one.

AJ shot him a look that told him she knew he was watching her and she brushed passed him to set the cookie sheet on the counter before she began to fill the sink with hot soapy water so she could clean up her mess.

"I'd only slow them down." Jack said finally and received a look from AJ.

"Thats no way to talk." She muttered, "But I suppose if thats the way that you see it."

Jack watched her for a moment and he shook his head, "You don't even know." He told her, his voice a bit heated as annoyance sunk in.

AJ slammed the pot into the sink, "You wouldn't know would you?" She asked and turned to face him fully, her pale blue eyes ablaze and she reached passed him to grab the spoon she had used to stir the caramel. Jack was stunned and he looked at her with confused eyes.

"Why don't you tell me then." He pressed, not exactly knowing why he was, after all, it was just a woman and there were plenty others around that he didn't need to be talking to get what he wanted from. But here he was, pressing for an answer, for the truth, and for the life of him he didn't know why he wanted to make sure she was safe...

AJ drew her lips back in a half smile, "Nice try." She barked and turned back around, picking up the glass bowel she had used to house the popcorn, just as the harsh sound of a radio announcers voice came on in the kitchen, filling the dead silence.

Jack had leaned over to switch the radio on, he hated that awkwardness, and besides, he had wanted to listen to some rock and roll. But what happened next was something that he wouldn't forget...

"_Convicted rapist and serial killer Frank Edwards was sent to Detroit Michigan prison late Sunday evening where he was to spend the remainder of his life sentence. It was early on Monday morning when reports told that he escaped and took the life of two guards men." _

The bowel slipped from AJ's fingers and dropped to the floor at her boot clad feet, where it shattered. She jerked when she realized and gave a small gasp, leaning down just as Jack did to begin to pick up the shards.

"Damn it." She muttered softly, her hands trembling as she began to pick up the pieces of glass that she had dropped on the floor. Jack watched her for a moment and his eyes flickered to the radio before back to her.

"_Citizens of Detroit area are advised to be on the look out for Frank, he is perhaps in his mid thirties, tall, with dark hair and a lean build, he is considered extremely dangerous." _

AJ looked up at the radio and her heart seemed to stop beating in her chest, her hands stilled and she what little color in her face drain away. Abruptly she stood and slammed her hand down on the top of the radio, turning it off.

Jack stood up slowly and watched her, "Alice." He said softly, using her real name to get her attention and she turned wild eyes to him. She was visibly trembling and when the front door opened loudly AJ jumped and Jack couldn't tell if she flung herself into his arms or he had simply reached out to grab her, but the end result was a shaking blond girl in his arms.

"Let me go!" She snapped and Jack tightened his grip.

"Not until you tell me what's going on." He told her and set his chin down on the top of her head, not a smart move because she bucked, trying to flee and smashed his jaw closed with a snap. "Ouch."

AJ struggled against him and when Jack finally released her she held her chin jutted outward, "It's none of YOUR business!" She hissed at him and walked from the room in a huff, leaving Jack to clean up her mess.


	5. A turn for the worst

**A/N: I'm going crazy on typing here, so it's like three chapters in like a day...Im on a roll! WHOOT! I think it's time to clue us in on AJ's past...giggle**

AJ lay awake in her bed, ever single sound seeming to make her jump. God, what the hell was she still doing here? Once she heard the name Frank Edwards, she should have packed and left. She should have gone away, at least back home...she would be safe there, she was always safe home...Sitting up in bed she sighed and rested her head in her hands. Who was she kidding? She wasn't safe. She would never be safe until that man was behind bars...or dead.

Her light blond hair, fell over her bare shoulders, it was a mess and she pushed the long tresses away. Her pale bleu eyes peered into the darkness, at the shadows on her walls and she fell back into bed, snuggling deeper within her blankets.

Curling up she felt her stomach tighten and she sighed, resting her head on her arm trying to let sleep overcome her...

Across the hall, Jack lay in his own bed, staring at the ceiling. His unruly hair pushed to one side and one large hand shoved into it. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on with the blond woman in his house. For starters she hadn't said hardly two words, even when Bobby provoked her in a week. And even Bobby had stopped making fun of her when she met him with such a gaze that made Jack cringe. She looked as if she were about to cry, or on the other hand she could have ripped a hole right through Bobby's chest with that turkey knife she had held.

He heard movements in her room and sat up slowly, looking out his open door at her closed one and he flopped back down. She was a hard person to get to know, and Jack thought that he probably should just give up.

He didn't know what it was about her, maybe the fact that she was like a bomb waiting to go off, or the fact that she was so utterly gorgeous, or there was that fact that she at times would give him the oddest looks. Either way he was confused. And every chance Bobby got he's pick fun at him and call him a fairy, or accuse him of having a thing for her. Which he didn't of course! Did he?

His eyes drooped slightly and he felt sleep finally take hold. His breathing slowed and he had a dreamless sleep, that is for about an hour before horrible screaming awoke him.

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_She shivered from the cold, her bare feet ice and one hand clutched to her swollen belly. There was no turning back, he would kill her, he would make her pay... Frantically she looked over her right shoulder as she padded through the snow. She stumbled, and fell, her blond hair washing over a beaten face. No turning back...she couldn't stop now, the baby needed her. _

_Icy eyes held tears as she fought the storm. A trail of blood was left in her wake, as her mangled feet trudged through the ice and snow. There was a sudden horrible pain in her belly and small frail hands clutched at her as a warm moisture washed between her legs. Screaming in agony she fell to the ground and clutched her belly. Something was wrong, something was horribly wrong with her baby. _

_Looking down she saw blood, dark crimson blood that poured hot and sticky between her thighs. Tears, hot salty tears raced down her chilled cheeks and a gun shot sounded in the distance..._

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AJ was jolted awake by strong hands on her shoulders and then her eyes snapped open to a handsome face, but tears blurred her vision and she jerked in fear. There were others in the room and her heart sped to an insane rate as she tried to pull free of the mans grasp.

"Alice." Jack muttered softly, "Stop, it's just me." He said and gently laid a hand on the side of her face. AJ blinked several more times and let her eyes come into focus before she realized who was there. Jack, with his ruffled hair, wearing nothing but a pair of black silk boxers. And Bobby, who was leaned against the door frame, Angel with Sofi wrapped in his arms.

"Are we quite done?" Bobby asked impatiently and turned before anyone could answer to go to his own room. Angel followed with Sofi in toe.

AJ looked back at Jack, who still had a hand on her cheek, and his eyes focused on her face. "What?" She asked and pulled back slightly.

He sighed heavily, "Your not going to talk are you?" He asked and AJ just shook her head in the darkness. Jack sat back and crossed his arms, watching her, "I'll tell you if you tell me?" He asked in a bold gesture to try and get some information out of her.

AJ actually laughed, "No." She said bluntly and watched his face fall. She sighed, "Oh C'mon, it's not like your really interested in me that way, other then that fact that you'd want to fuck me." She snapped, "I've seen the way you look, I've seen what's in your eyes." She leaned forward, "It's nothing that I haven't seen before, nothing that I haven't had to deal with." She crossed her arms over an ample chest. "Listen, I'm not trying to be a bitch, although that's how it's coming off right?" She asked softly.

Jack didn't say anything, just stared at her, as if his stare alone could break her. He was sure that was it, the only reason why he was being this way was because he wanted a good, fast, hard screw. Nothing more. Then why did he feel so offended when she said it?

"Listen to me Jack." She said her voice falling a bit, "I don't talk about my past because no one here needs to know, simply because if you were to find out, it would fuck you up more then you could imagine." She paused and then leaned back, obviously she was finished talking to him about it. And she snuggled down in her blankets.

It was then that Jack actually realized how much she was shaking, how horribly scared she looked and how vulnerable. He reached out to touch her hair, running his fingers over the silkiness of it and watched as she flinched back. He smiled in the darkness, "Trust me, it's nothing that I can't handle." And with those words spoken he stood and walked from her room.

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It was days before Jack spoke to AJ again, and she was just walking in the front door from work when he simply grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up the stairs to his bedroom. AJ protested when she was slammed into the bed and he closed his door, locking it. "Now," He started, "Talk to me." He said and stood arms crossed in front of his door.

"This again?" AJ asked and sat up on the edge of his mattress and shook her head, "No." She said and ran a hand through her blond hair.

"Tell me who Frank Edwards is." Jack pressed.

AJ's eyes turned cold and she looked up at him with icy detachment. "I don't know what your talking about." She played stupid with him.

Jack walked over to her and AJ noted how he barely limped at all, "Listen to me Alice." He said and she narrowed her gaze at him.

"Don't call me that." She snapped.

"Alice," Jack muttered, "I saw a thing on TV about him, it said that he killed twelve men. It said that there was a woman by the name of Alice J Paul that testified against him and put him in jail." He muttered, "Want to tell me about that?"

AJ looked up at him and shook her head slowly, but she kept her mouth shut.

"It said that without this woman's testimony that he would have walked away a free man. And that in the court house he threatened to kill her." Jack paused, looking at her face for a long moment, "Want to tell me about that?" He asked and as he assumed he got no answer. In a mad attempt to get something, anything from her Jack leaned down and claimed her mouth.

Her first reaction was what he had assumed, she fought him, even as he wrapped her in his tight embrace and pulled her up off the bed. She fought him. She screamed into his mouth and pounded her fists on his chest, and struggled to pull free. She fought him so hard that Jack didn't know if he could hold on. Or if he really wanted to. It was when he was about to release her that AJ seemed to roar to life.

Legs and arms flew around him and Jack stumbled backward, her mouth was a hot blaze as she bit his lower lip hard enough to draw blood and she slid her tongue into his mouth. Jack felt her hands shove themselves into his hair and she seemed to be attached to him. He didn't even think he could pry her away with a crow bar. AJ offered a throaty moan as his hands clasped her bottom in an effort to keep her on his body.

AJ kissed him like her life depended on it, like she hadn't had a man in years, like she was just waking from a long and silent sleep. Her body was on fire and she felt Jack lower her onto the bed. His hands seemed everywhere, but no where that AJ wanted them to be. For the oddest reasons he wasn't touching her in the places that she would have thought.

His hands were framing her face, stroking the sides of her mouth, his body moved to the side slightly as so not to crush her. His kisses were gentle and AJ felt herself getting lost. Slowly Jack ran his fingers through her blond hair and kissed her jaw, her throat and finally her mouth.

It was AJ who shoved him back and he lifted his head to look at her, his eyes dark with passion. Jack slowly lifted his body off of her and pushed himself to the edge of the bed, staring at her through widened eyes. "Alice---"

"Don't call me that!" She snapped and stood, "Damn it Jackie." She muttered and raised a hand to her mouth, "Damn it." She whispered.

"Tell me." Jack said his eyes searching. He hadn't meant for that to happened. He hadn't meant to kiss her like that, but it had happened. And now something stirred in his belly.

"You want to know?" She yelled, "You WANT to know?" She slammed a fist into the wall by his bed.

**A/N: Guess you will just have to wait till the next chapter won't you? **


	6. Gone?

**A/N: Yea, Bobby is kind of a jerk, but all in due time, he may surprise everyone...**

Jack watched her for a moment, "Tell me Alice." He muttered, not so much as he wanted to know, but it was the fact that if something to go wrong, then he had to know so that she could be protected. That was just how things went around here, he had this feeling like he would protect her if she needed it. And then again even if she didn't.

AJ's left eye twitched a little in anger and she shook her head; Jack suddenly got the impression that she was going to tell him he couldn't handle the truth, or something along those lines. But instead she just sighed and sat down next to him. She looked at her hands as if they were suddenly so very interesting. She didn't want to tell him and she was trying to find the words, gentle words to tell him so. But when she opened her mouth everything seemed to spill out.

"When I was sixteen years old I met Frank Edwards, he seemed like the nicest man, but he well he wasn't." She paused and shook her head before starting to stand like she was going to leave. Jack reached out and took her arm, "I got pregnant." She blurted, "But it wasn't because I wanted to, and it wasn't because it was my choice to be with him." She looked away and refused to sit, instead she began to pace the length of the room.

"You were raped?" Jack asked softly and AJ turned on him her eyes flashing.

"Yes! Isn't that what I just fucking said!" She snapped and Jack clamped his jaw shut, he wanted to speak but the look she gave him made him think twice. AJ turned away from him again and hugged her arms around herself, "The baby didn't make it." She said softly and lowered her head, "And I testified against him for that rape, reported him, and he was going to go to jail, but evidence came in and he was convicted of twelve murders, after five or six I think is when a person becomes a serial killer..." She looked at Jack in question and he only shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and watched as AJ turned her back on him again.

"I don't think that he got me pregnant the first time though..." She muttered softly and Jack's eyebrows rose. Multiple times? She was raped more than once by the same man? He felt his gut wrench. And he stood to move to her but AJ jerked backwards, shaking her head. "There." She snapped, "Happy now?" With those last words spoken she brushed passed him and out the door to her own bedroom.

Jack sighed, well he had let his imagination run wild, but that was why she was so very hard around men, and she seemed to protect herself, rarely wearing anything that showed off too much skin. Jack seemed to realize this with a start and he sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall for a long moment.

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AJ had the house to herself, or almost, she had the feeling that Bobby was somewhere in the house and when she came downstairs her thoughts on this were confirmed and he looked up from the paper he was reading to give her a droll stare. He watched her for a moment then started to open his mouth when a knock sounded at the door and AJ went to go and answer it.

She threw back the bolt and tore the door open, and her face was met with the butt of a pistol and she stumbled backward with a yelp of pain as blood gushed across her face and darkness consumed her as she was knocked out by the blow. A tall man stood over her fallen form and he looked up as a male's voice, Bobby's voice, sounded from the living room. Stooping down Frank Edwards lifted AJ's slight form from the carpet and he walked out.

Bobby stood and walked to the foyer, only to find that AJ wasn't there, blood marred the floor at the doorway and a large blue SUV tore from there driveway. He let out a curse and bolted from the house, chasing the truck for a good distance before giving up on it and he returned to the house. He may have disliked AJ, thought she was a moocher and a nobody, but that was HIS moocher and HIS nobody, he was the ONLY one that could pick on her. Bastards were going to pay. What ever the reason she was suddenly kidnapped from the Mercer household, shit was about to hit the fan.


	7. Bad Luck

**A/N: It's funny how I got a review on how Bobby was a bitch and harsh toward AJ, when I had this chapter almost complete and it actually went into Bobby a little...creepy...**

AJ's eyes fluttered, and she shifted but found that she was unable to move, her wrists were bound above her head, and thick, corded rope bit deep into her flesh. Blood gushed from her nose and a cut above her left eye. Her whole body ached and shivered from the cold, she wanted to cover herself, cover her bare body, that had been stripped to the nude and so brutally beaten. Her head hung and she tried to lift it, feeling a sharp pain in her shoulders as she did so. With her one good eye, the one that wasn't filled with sticky blood she looked at her surroundings.

There was a faint dripping in the distance, and the smell of mold, musk and bad body odor. She shivered again, there was a dirty mattress in the corner, a toilet and a sink. On a table to her right there was a stainless steel table that held various tools. All cleaned and polished to gleam in the bare bulb lighting above her. _Oh God, _she thought, she was going to be executed...

The wind howled outside and AJ let her head droop again, her toes barely touching the cold, damp surface of the floor beneath her. Rustling behind her made her jump and she feared the worst.

"Well, well kitten." Said a deep voice, it was like silk, but his voice was so frightening that AJ wanted to wet herself. She pretended to be asleep, or knocked out and she didn't open her eyes. Royally pissed by this Frank lashed out and struck her jaw, thus making her head snap up and her eyes fly wide, nostrils flaring she stared at him. "Better." He murmured and AJ began to tremble.

Frank circled her, and he was just as horribly handsome as AJ remembered, maybe more so, the years had not been cruel to him. His dark hair hung messy over a well sculpted face, and bright cinnamon eyes peered at her with a glint that she hated. His body, had if she wasn't mistaken, toned even more then it had been, but what scared her the most were his eyes. He wasn't sane, he hadn't been for a long while. Years spent in the black opts had changed this man into something cruel, something horrible. It was amazing to think of what the human body was capable of, and of what this man could do with just his thumb.

"So darling, lets talk, it has been so horribly long since we have talked." He said and reached out to frame her face in a large, capable hand.

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"Bobby! Where is she? Who took her!" Jack yelled, "No scratch that, did you see where they were going!" His whole body was shaking in anger, and fear for AJ. If his hunch was right then...then he didn't want to be right, please dear lord don't let him be right, oh God...Alice...

Bobby watched as his youngest brother paced the kitchen and he shook his head, "I don't know Fairy!" He snapped and ran a hand through his hair, "All I know is I got to the door and there was blood on the floor, and the truck was pulling away." He paused, "What the fuck are you going to do? Go after her?" He asked and Jack turned on his with his gray eyes flaring up in anger.

"Fuck yes!"

Angel sat at the table, he had actually grown quite fond of AJ, she was a damned good cook and he sat forward, "I'm with Jackie, if something happened to AJ then we have to find her." He watched as Jack looked at him, grateful.

Bobby smiled, "I wasn't just gonna let her be ya know, damn it, what do you take me for." He pushed himself off the counter and walked into the other room, with Jack and Angel following, Sofi had decided that it was time for her to have some girl time and she had no idea what was going on yet, she wasn't even at home. He's made up his mind, AJ was a pain in the ass, his ass most of the time, but God damn it, if mom loved her then she was good in his books, he was a complete ass to her most of the time, but thats the way he worked. He was an ass. A big one.

"I got the license number." Bobby said and looked over his shoulder.

Jack nodded and followed his brother closely, he just hoped that AJ wasn't hurt, or worse...he supposed that there were worse things then death, much worse, and he had gotten that first hand, it was so hard for him to imagine such a pretty girl being mistreated. Although fate didn't usually pic and choose based on looks. It didn't pick on who was good or not, or on who needed that horrible fate more then the other. He knew this first hand. He knew what it was like to be cast out, beaten, and mistreated. Jack Mercer knew what it was like to have a haunting past.

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AJ was thrown roughly to the dirty mattress, and she felt the muscles in her shoulder give out as she tried to push herself up. It was too late anyways, Frank had already pushed himself onto her, taking what he wanted with no remorse. Not even when AJ screamed from the pain of it, not because it was her first, but because she hadn't let herself be taken by a man in so long that it stung to be taken so harshly.

AJ had fought him the first time, and the second, and then he'd kicked her ribs so hard that she felt them break, and she stopped. She didn't know if she could take another kick with those steel toed boots, not like that, not when she was having problems breathing as Frank dominated her so.

Breathing raggedly Frank leaned down to her ear and whispered softly, "Now you enjoyed that my pet. I know you did." AJ flinched from him, and the horrible man grew angry, he struck her in the side of the face with a balled fist and AJ saw stars, her vision slurred right before she passed out.

It was hours later when she awoke, and found a herself still on the mattress, her body cold and clammy, a damp sweat over her body. She was sick, and a fever rose on her, making her shiver. She rose her hands but found that her wrists were bound in front of her and she whimpered lightly. She felt hot salty tears wash down the sides of her face and sting the cuts on her skin. She was going to die here, she knew it, and AJ didn't want to die.

Curling her body into a ball, it was the best she could do to keep warm, and still she shivered violently. Her teeth clattered together and her felt goose bumps rise on her skin. AJ felt her eyes flutter and she was asleep in moments, she had to keep her energy, she had to figure out a way to escape, she had to get away, she didn't want to die...

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It was useless, they had been every where and still no sign of AJ, no sign that anyone had seen her, he walked the street at a fast pace, and when he saw Bobby pull up to the house in a blaze he began to run. "News!" Jack called and Bobby motioned for him to follow him into the house, which was nearly completely fixed up now.

"I got some information, someone said that they saw a tall man, fitting the description that Jack gave us, he was walking into a large warehouse, and he was carrying something wrapped in a sheet." Bobby said once Jack had entered the house. He glanced at Angel who was sipping coffee and nodded, Sofi had been sent away, much to her protests, Angel said that she didn't need to be around with things like this.

Jack held out his hands, "Where? What warehouse? Where!" He asked much louder then he normally was and Bobby gave him a look.

"Relax, Fairy." He paused, "We are going to go check it out," He said and watched as his youngest brother seemed to want to lunge at him.

Jack shifted on his feet and looked around, "Bobby, what if it's too late, we have to go now." He snapped restlessly.

Angel nodded in agreement, "Lets go Bobby."


	8. JACK!

**A/N: Oh I am having a blast with this, I hope everyone likes the chapters so far...**

AJ lay in her own blood on the filthy mattress she shivered horribly, her fever getting worse and she had developed a hoarse cough, that racked through her body and made her cry in pain because of her smashed ribs. She pulled of the ropes that bound her wrists, and she didn't know where Frank had gone off to. But as she worked, silently in the dark, the only sound was the howling of wind, and the steady drip of something somewhere in the warehouse. She could feel the knots loosening, but not enough.

Feeling herself about to cough again she curled into a ball and braced herself. She felt her left eye swollen and two of her fingers were snapped, broken, and there was nothing she could do. Her wrist was broken, her right one and she felt it swell and ache as she tugged on the ropes. Someone would come, she knew it, God someone had to come for her, Jack would come...

These thoughts caught her off guard and AJ felt herself want to laugh, since when had she depended on someone? Not for the longest time, if she wanted to get out, then she would have to do it herself...she knew this...she doubted Jack or the Mercer boys knew where she was...

She had to ignore the pain, she had to get out of here, she didn't even know if she could walk. AJ coughed and gave a small sob of pain as she ripped at the ropes, frustrated. She heard the sound of a door opening and AJ tensed, her body braced for what she knew was coming.

AJ felt the mattress, dug her nails into a hole that was next to her shoulder and felt the sharp spring, it was jagged and it pushed into her when she lay there...a plan formed and she pulled of the ropes more, loosening them just enough...

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Jack stepped out of the car, and looked behind him at his brothers, he touched the pistol that he had insisted on having. It rested in his belt and seemed to want to burn a hole there. Could he actually kill someone if he needed to. Bobby could...Angel could, he knew that, but could Jack? Little Jack. Yeah, he was the youngest, the baby of the group. He was the third class rocker, although he'd put that aside for a while after his mothers death. He was a fuck up, a nobody, and he was in it deep for a blond woman that could possibly be dead right now. God his life was fucked up wasn't it?

Bobby stepped onto the sidewalk, shotgun in hand. He refused to contact the police, for they wouldn't do bullshit about anything, things _had_ to be taken into his own hands. He looked to Angel who walked beside him and then up toward Jack who had walked several feet ahead, toward the warehouse.

The wind bit into their skin, and ruffled Jack's hair. His leather jacket clung to his broad shoulders and he looked over his left shoulder at Bobby who had this determined look on his face.

There was gunshots somewhere in the city and Jack paused, for a moment it had sounded just like it was coming from the warehouse. Bobby seemed to think that too and he picked up his pace, moving into a smooth jog.

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AJ felt the knots loosen just enough for her to be able to slip one hand from the ropes and she rolled to the side, quickly, casting out for her cloths with her one good eye. She heard movement in the other room, and she hoped that Frank was doing something so that she would have enough time.

She could barely move, she just hoped that she could walk, because damn it, she was walking out of here!

She pulled on her shirt that lay crumpled on the floor, and winced heavily, trying not to throw up. It was hard however when the pain was so great and she promptly leaned over and vomited. She wiped her mouth with the back of her free hand and reached for jeans, she'd had no shoes when she was taken by this insane bastard, but then again, she didn't really care about shoes, she had to get out of here...

She fell back down on the mattress however, her energy seemingly spent and she groaned heavily.

Frank stepped into the room and his gaze fell upon AJ, he sneered, "Little kitten. What have you been up to?" He snapped and started forward.

AJ trembled, she knew that things were going to get bad, he was going to kill her now, she felt hot tears flood her eyes and she reached for the spring in the mattress, feeling it break off and cut deep into her palm. Franks heavy footsteps made her flinch, and when he leaned down to touch her, AJ spun up, ignoring the pain that jutted into her side and she plunged the medal as far into flesh as she could get.

Frank screamed, and the gun that was in his hand went off and the bullet hit the far wall. AJ screamed as Frank's blood seeped onto her hands, she'd plunged that spring into his throat and now he was gasping for air. AJ moved as fast as her broken body would allow, she hobbled toward the door but paused when she heard a horrible gurgling and looking over her shoulder she saw that Frank had not yet given up. His eyes were fuming and he was crawling toward her, holding a hand to his bloodied throat and he tried to raise his gun to meet her.

AJ gulped and practically fell out of the door as the shot rang out. She hit the snow face first and began to crawl.

Her hands scraped at the snow frantically, God she wasn't going to make it, this crazy bastard was going to kill her. She felt her body wanting to give out, and she just wanted to lay down and sleep.

The wind howled, it tore her cloths on her body, it made her want to go back inside, this was horrible, she managed to crawl a few feet and then collapse on the ground in a heap. Tears washed over her eyes and she shivered.

Hearing shouts, but unable to make them out made AJ lift her head, and she sobbed in relief, "JACK!" She screamed, her lungs working despite the fact that she wanted to die, "JACK! Oh God! Jackie!" She tried to push herself up but it was no use, her arms were not working. "Jack!" She sobbed.

He was running now, and when the man came from the warehouse, Jack raised his pistol and fired six rounds into him without thinking. He didn't know if he'd be able to kill a man, but when he saw how beat up AJ was he knew...he knew he could kill for her.

"Alice!" He screamed, he was running faster then his brothers, and Bobby had actually stumbled when Jack fired the bullets, he watched as the man fell to the ground, blood spilling from his chest and stomach, he was dead, no doubt about it.

"Jack..." AJ whispered and began to cry, her whole body shaking with sobs. "Oh God...Jackie."

"Alice! I'm coming...I've got you!" Jack called as he skidded to a stop, tossing his gun to the side and landing on his knees. He folded AJ into his arms and felt how she weakly clung to him, her body shaking. "Baby, I got you, oh Alice baby..." He murmured and lifted her up. Looking over his shoulder he noted how Bobby and Angel were checking the man whom had done this to AJ.

"I knew you'd come, I knew you'd find me, I knew it...I knew you wouldn't let me die..." She breathed and felt Jack lift her off the dirty snow, she winced and Jack looked down at her, "I knew you'd come...I knew you would..." She kept saying as she began to cry once more.

Jack placed his lips onto the top of her head and he murmured into her hair, he was falling fast, he was in over his head with the blond bundle clinging to him, he wanted to do nothing but keep her safe wrapped in his arms.

"Bobby!" He called and had already started for the car, Angel had bolted for a payphone and now he ran back at full speed, yelling that the ambulance was coming. The tall dark man stopped at AJ wrapped in Jack's arms and he frowned, "God she looks like shit." He muttered and shed his jacket, placing it over her slight form. "She'll be alright Jackie boy...it'll be alright..."


	9. Up to her

**A/N: No it's not over, but trust me the good parts haven't vanished! You'll want to keep reading.**

Jack watched the rise and fall of AJ's chest, and how she struggled to breath. Ugly bruises marred her pale face, arms and under the hospital gown that she wore, Jack hadn't seen them all. But they looked bad. It was enough to make him want to be sick, thinking on what that man had done to her. He ran a hand through his hair and stood walking to the door, needing something to occupy him, coffee...thats what he needed.

Stepping into the hallway, he was hit with that too clean smell, it was almost enough to make a person vomit. Bobby had gone home for a while and said he was going to come back, at least to look and see how she was doing. Everything had ended up alright, the police had ruled this out as a self- defense, considering that Frank Edwards had beaten and raped AJ several times, it was just Jack supposed.

Now two days later, AJ was sleeping, and she had only woke once, and Jack hadn't been there to see it. He guessed that this was the best, she needed to get well, and she needed to come home. Jack realized that well yes he wanted to take AJ to bed with him, but at the same time, there was this draw to her that made him think twice on doing it just because. He did care about her, and he was unable to tell exactly why...

While he pondered this, and filled up a paper cup with hot coffee, which was possibly days old, he didn't quite realize the amount of doctors in white jackets running past him and into AJ's room.

And when he did return to her room, he found several doctors struggling to control a raving, screaming AJ in the bed. Jack was pushed back and he tried to peek his head around the doctors, "What's wrong with her?" He asked his panic clear in his tone.

"Delusions, it's typical of a trauma patient like her, being sick, it's a heavy strain of pneumonia. She's having flashbacks it seems." One of the doctors said, only she didn't look like a normal doctor, she wore a navy blue suit, her ebony black hair hung in large, loose curls and bright, almond eyes peered at him before turning to look at AJ who was crying uncontrollably. "Therapy may be the best option here." The woman said, and then turned back to Jack, but he had already brushed passed her and moved to AJ's bed, much to the protest of the doctors doing their jobs.

Kneeling by the bed he ran a hand over her hair and got this huge wide eyed look from AJ, she looked wild feral and almost like she didn't know who he was. Tears were racing down her cheeks and she simply allowed Jack to take her in his arms, she didn't have the energy to fight, nor did she want to at the moment.

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AJ awoke with Bobby's face looked at her, and she winced pulled the blankets up further, the very best that she could. Bobby leaned forward, his face inches from her and she flinched backward. He gave her a amused look as he pulled the blankets to her chin, "Do you think I would hurt you AJ?" He asked his voice having a bit of that harshness knocked away.

She trembled, and Bobby could see just how skittish she was, she had allowed Jack to wrap her in his arms, but that was only because she was still trying to find her bearings. The way she looked now just told Bobby that she was slowly getting back on board, she was slowly beginning to realize what had happened to her, and where she was. Her blue eyes, blood- shot and one of them still horribly swollen were alert. And he wondered how that was with the torment she had just suffered.

She was a strong little girl that was for sure. It was amazing how she had survived the way that she had. Strong but at the same time so very weak. Tears were welled in her eyes and she watched Bobby with a firm look. But she was so afraid, he could tell. Bobby sighed and sat backward, "How ya feeling?" He asked, in a supreme effort to be polite and civil and well nice. He didn't hate AJ, far from it, his affection was shown through teasing, all his brothers knew it.

AJ swallowed hard and didn't answer. She merely stared at him, wondering why on earth he was here, and what he wanted. She knew what had happened to her, and she hated men, she HATED men. All of them. Never had she once had a pleasant experience with one, never. She watched as Bobby leaned forward again and he watched her with a tactful eye.

"Listen AJ, your safe now, no one will hurt you, I promise," He said as gently as he could and rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the door, to make sure that no one was about to walk in. "Mom liked you, enough to let you stay in the house with her, thats enough for me." He said and then paused as if trying to find the right words, "I'm not good with words, and I'm not good with showing how I feel. But if mom loved you, and my brothers like you just fine, Fairy more then anyone, then well...I can't say that I don't either."

AJ watched him for a moment and then she wormed her hand out from under the blankets and touched his sleeve, drawing his eyes to look at her. She nodded and pulled her hand back, letting her head roll to the side she closed her eyes, needing more sleep.

It was hours later when she finally awoke again and turned to look at Jack, his head bobbing in the chair as he slept. She shivered and wondered briefly what day it was then she realized that she didn't care.

She watched Jack stir and watched how he ran his hands through his hair and stretched before opening his gray eyes and looked at her, "Alice." He mumbled and sat forward.

Licking her lips AJ turned her head more fully to him, "Don't call me that." She muttered, trying her best to let him know she was alright.

Jack smiled, that cute little smile of his and opened his mouth to say more but AJ just turned away; she wasn't ready for this yet, she wasn't ready for what he wanted.

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AJ stepped inside the house and it felt odd to do so. She limped slightly on her feet, and even stumbled a bit, she felt Jack's hand on her back and she pulled away, walking up the stairs slowly, she needed some time. Jack looked up the stairs after her and Bobby came up beside him, resting his hand on his brothers shoulder, "Relax Fair, you cant' begin to realize what it was she went through. Give it some time."

Jack nodded his head and turned his gaze to Bobby, "She won't talk about it..." He stated.

Bobby grinned, "Would you if you had a psycho like that do what he did to you?"

Jack could understand this, he knew what had happened to AJ before hand, and he could only guess the horror she had gone through this time around. He just hoped that she got over them soon, or at least let him help her do so. He wasn't much on words, that is unless it was put into a song, but even then...he didn't know how much help he would be to AJ now... it was pretty much up to her.


	10. Change of Events

_Her legs couldn't carry her fast enough, and AJ fell. Something warm and damp covered her leg and she glanced down. To her utter horror she saw that she was bleeding, and it was gushing from her most intimate spot. She heard a crash in the brush and her heart rate sped to overdrive, she clawed and stumbled, finding her footing, and rushing through the trees…_

_AJ felt her back hit the mattress, and a shadow loomed over her, she screamed, but a heavy body crushed the air from her lungs, she felt a hot mouth on her, violating her. AJ tried with all her might to push the man off her but it was no use, she was too broken to do anything about it. There was a sharp pain between her legs and she smacked at the mans face, clawed and kicked and swore…_

AJ jerked awake, but she didn't scream, she didn't flail, she just laid there, the room spinning. She began to cry, hot salty tears and she curled into a ball, shaking violently. What had she done wrong in her life to deserve this to happen to her? Had she been bad? Was God punishing her for something done in a past life?

Slowly, and with a lot of pain, she pulled the blankets back, wrapped herself in a wool robe and padded downstairs. There was a soft glow of the kitchen light and AJ paused within the doorway, her tired eyes falling on Bobby.

It had been nearly six whole months since she had been released from the hospital, and the nightmares seemed to be getting worse and worse. She spoke to no one and when asked a question, she looked at them with pained eyes. AJ refused professional help and had withdrawn into herself so badly that she was looking pale, fragile and sickly.

Bobby looked up, his hand wrapped around a tall glass of milk; slowly he pushed a chair out with his foot, watching her take a seat. Watching her he knew she wasn't going to say anything to him, hell, Jack had been waiting for her to speak since she'd gotten back home. He spent most of his time with her, just sitting with her. Talking, but getting nothing out of her.

"Thirsty brat?" Bobby asked, but even though his words should have been harsh they weren't. He'd never sounded so gentle with her before.

She lifted her head a bit and took his glass that he offered her. Slowly AJ sipped the milk and then handed it back.

Bobby leaned forward and watched her more intently. He wouldn't say anything, he knew that she wouldn't answer.

"You know something, I can't figure out why this happened? I keep thinking that I did something wrong to deserve this…but I can't think of anything." AJ spoke softly, her voice cracking.

Bobby thought that he hadn't heard it at first, but then he watched her more closely. Did she really think she'd done something to deserve that? He cleared his throat, unable to figure out how to respond. He opened his mouth several times and then did the one thing that Bobby never did, he held open his arms for her, "Come here." He told her and AJ looked at him with a blank expression. Finally, impatient, Bobby reached forward and gripped her arms, "Listen to me carefully." He started, "You did nothing wrong, nothing to deserve to be treated like a piece of meat." He watched her face and realized something that made his stomach do a back-flip. Slowly painfully he released her arms, "Do you understand?" He asked roughly.

AJ hiccupped a sob and lowered her lashes, thus causing Bobby to curse, "Let me go get Jack, he deals with…sniffles better then me." Bobby began to stand but AJ's hand rested on his wrist and she was crying, worse then before.

Bobby didn't do the whole, woman crying thing…it was just awkward. He paused, half turning to look down at her with a 'why me?' look in his eyes. Embarrassed he bent, crouching before her and hadn't expected AJ to fling herself onto his chest. "I don't want to be alone." She sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck for comfort.

That feeling, that realization stirred in the pit of Bobby's belly and he tried to ignore it. But the fact was, there was a blond bundle in his arms, and Bobby had to take care of that. Pressing his lips together he leaned downward, hooking his arm under her knees and sliding the other around her back. Without much effort his lifted her and moved out of the kitchen, slapping the switch with his elbow.

The large man carried the little woman upstairs, past her own bedroom an into his, he didn't know why he'd done that, only that he wasn't about to sit in a girly-ass room. He sat on his bed and tried to pry her off his neck but it was no use, AJ clung to him like a babe would cling to their mother's tit.

He sighed and awkwardly stroked her hair. "Relax. Stop balling." He muttered into her hair. He leaned back on his headboard, pulling a pillow up behind his back. He hoisted AJ onto his lap and just sat.

It was only when sunlight filtered through the slits in Bobby's curtains that he peeled his eyes open. The events of the night before crept into his mind and he looked down at AJ who was nestled in the crook of his arm, sleeping soundly, his stomach lurched.

"Shit."


	11. trying to break through

Bobby couldn't do it, couldn't watch her wake up, his brain was gone, he'd lost it. She was a brat, a skinny little brat, a fucking mooch! His breath came ragged as he threw the blankets back and slid into jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt. He jammed his feet into sneakers and padded down the steps.

Jack was sitting on the sofa, hands clenched over his knees, "Alice---AJ isn't in her room." He stated softly and looked at his older brother, "Have you seen her?"

Bobby put on his usual calm face and shook his head, "I don't keep track of your fucks fairy." He snapped and walked passed him and out the door, he needed a drink. It was nine in the morning and he wanted to be drunk. This wasn't right. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn't---couldn't possibly like AJ? She was loud, she was stubborn, pigheaded, opinionated, and feisty…she was Bobby…in girl form. He shuddered, damn it!

Strong, she was the strongest woman he'd ever met. Angel loved her like she were his little sister, Jack was already desperately in love with her, he'd marry her if she'd give him the time of day…and Bobby. What did Bobby feel?

He walked down the driveway toward his car; he set his hand on the handle and paused, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and he looked upward toward his bedroom window. AJ stood with a blanket wrapped about her slender shoulders; her hair was a mess, falling over to one side. "Shit."

Jack padded up the steps intending to head for the shower, as he passed Bobby's bedroom, however, the door swung open, AJ, with her head lowered stepped from its depths. Pausing, Jack watched her, and met her gaze. Why was she in Bobby's room?

"Morning." He muttered, not expecting a reply from her, and just as he thought, she only glanced at him then surprised him with a faint smile. She pulled the blanket she had around her closer and stepped passed him into her own chambers and closed the door softly. She still had a slight limp to her gait, but as far as Jack could tell she was healing nicely.

Knowing that probably should leave well enough alone he went to her door and knocked anyways. He heard a sound from the other side and hoped that it was an okay for him to enter. Cracking the door he stuck his head inside and looked at her, she was curled on her bed, staring at the wall, her back to him. Jack hesitated, then against his better judgment; he stepped in and shut the door softly. "Alice?" He asked gently, wondering if she'd speak to him. Doubtful.

He ran his hands over his hair and made a sound in his throat, this was becoming ridiculous, "You have to talk sometime." He said suddenly, "You can't just ignore everyone!" He moved to the side of her bed and put a hand on her shoulder, rolling her over to face him. "I'm trying to help you." He told her his eyes searching hers.

"You want to help, "She said softly, "But you don't know how." Tears welled up in her eyes, "I died in that warehouse."

**DUN DUN DUN!** **HEHE, I thought a little more drama would be best….**


End file.
